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Prius Online closes down in South Korea
Whether you think of it as Prius Online or Arcane Saga, the game known to its Korean playerbase as Prius Online has had a hard time keeping the lights on in the West. It's been running for five years over in its native South Korea, though... but no longer. As of December 17th the game will shut down for good, with character creation and the cash shop already disabled for its remaining time. Developer Netmarble has apparently been focusing more upon the mobile market rather than the PC game market, and the game presumably hit the spot of no longer being profitable to keep running. There had been rumors of a sequel, but this could kill any hopes for that as well as any lingering aspirations toward another American revival. It may have died many times before its final death, but it seems like this is finally the end of the road for the game.
City of Steam: Arkadia launching December 4th
The death and subsequent rebirth of City of Steam has been an odd thing to watch, but you'll soon be able to actively participate instead of just watching. City of Steam: Arkadia is launching on December 4th, just a little more than a week from today, enough time that you might not even get to feel any sorrow at the original version's untimely and unexpected demise. Of course, you may not have mourned the original version. Rest assured that the relaunch is not meant to simply be the same game with a new subtitle. According to the official announcement, the new version contains a variety of new systems as well as a revamp of both dungeons and game mechanics. Mechanist Games states that the developers have paid attention to player feedback from the Chinese version and will be releasing a game that should have a much wider appeal. You'll be able to gauge that for yourself very shortly one way or the other.
Massively's Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn launch impressions
I failed to save Final Fantasy XIV. Back in November, the launch version of the game had its final event. I was there, fighting against the forces that would ultimately bring Dalamud crashing down upon Eorzea, but all those efforts were for nothing. And I knew it. All veteran players knew that this was a losing fight, that Eorzea could not be saved. The moon fell, destruction rained down upon the land... and the launch version of the game was no more. Now, nine months later, the MMO is relaunching to an unenviable task. Final Fantasy XIV doesn't just have to be a good game; it has be such a good game that its original launch is no longer under discussion. It has to turn itself from a punchline into a praiseworthy title. The end result, much like the launch version, is a game that's not going to be for everyone, but it's going to be just right for a lot of people who might never have expected it.
The Daily Grind: How many times can a game launch?
We've given Neverwinter a lot of guff for its soft launch followed by an actual launch, but the fact is it's not the only culprit. MechWarrior Online has theoretically been in open beta for some time, but now it has a launch date. Firefall's closed beta at times felt like it was just an open beta in waiting. Some free-to-play games don't even bother officially launching; they just slowly stop calling the game a title in beta while the cash shop quietly opens. And then you have relaunches like Final Fantasy XIV... You'd think that the criteria for a launch would be pretty straightforward, but increasingly we've seen titles that can rack up multiple launch dates with the same amount of fanfare, and that's without considering staggered early access. So today we ask you, dear readers: How many times can a game launch? Do soft launches and full launches count? Relaunches? Business model launches? Major patch launches? What should and shouldn't count? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The Mog Log: Believing in Final Fantasy XIV
This week, I'm going to do something different. I'm going to talk about my wife. Lest anyone worry that this is the start of a Paul McCartney-esque slide into sappy sentimentality, there's good reason for this. Ms. Lady has been mentioned on previous occasions as a gaming partner and skilled roleplayer. She's not as into MMOs as I am, but she plays them a lot and she certainly knows what she likes and what she doesn't. And let me tell you, she didn't like Final Fantasy XIV. This is a point of view I hold against absolutely no one, but it sure as heck meant that she was not interested in the relaunch. She'd had enough of the game after the first couple of tries to break in. The relaunch had no hooks to pull her back in, no interesting features that stirred her interest, nothing but the promise of a game she'd already decided wasn't good enough to play. And that all changed.
Our interview with Final Fantasy XIV's Naoki Yoshida
There are big changes on the horizon for Final Fantasy XIV, as revealed last Friday. After a year of free play, the game is bringing its extended free trial to a close and setting the stage for further large-scale improvements, culminating in the preview of "version 2.0" that will change the face of the world and the game forever. It promises to be a year filled with new content, time-limited events, and plenty for players to enjoy as the new version approaches. We were fortunate to have a chance to talk with the man at the head of all the changes, Naoki Yoshida, about the changes already put into place and the ones on the horizon. Past the break are Yoshida's opening remarks regarding the state of the game and the community as well as our questions, which covered everything from class balance to the end of the very extended free trial period.
Everything you need to know about Champions F2P
It's no secret that Champions Online is rolling out with its free-to-play update tomorrow. In addition to everything offered for free members, there's just a ton of new stuff. While this patch isn't quite Revelations in terms of content, it is one of the biggest full expansions Champions has seen. Whether you're a returning player giving CO another shot, a new player checking out all the free stuff, or a current player itching for a rundown of all the added features, we've got you covered. With this full review of all of CO's latest features, you'll be well-equipped to start your new adventures in Millennium City and beyond.
